So I got my hands on an Electra Glide Tour Pak that's gonna be mounted to my Vulcan. I've got an el-cheap-o shark stereo. (Works good enough for what I use it for) but the FM reception sucks and I like to listen to the radio, not just my iPod (would love to catch a ball game or something on it). It has a little sire antenna that sticks out, like a pig tail.

My question is, if I mounted an antenna on that tour pak (there's tons out there that mount onto it) could I, and more importantly, HOW could I wire that to the pigtail antenna on the shark? What type of wiring would I use? Can I just make a regular solder joint between them? Would that type of thing even work?

Thanks,

John

__________________

"8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Try Sierra Electronics at www.sierra-mc.com
They have whatever you may need for motorcycle electronics.

I wasn't looking for the antenna, I know where I can get one. I was just curious, as I don't really know what the requirements are for an antenna to work, how to get it all 'wired up'. If I can solder into the pigtail coming out of the amp, etc.

__________________

"8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

From previous comments it sounds like your system is not like most (if a single wire for antenna connection). Most use coaxial cable. A simple splice of the inner conductor and outer shield would work to some degree for a broadcast receiver coax, it is not ideal. Most often special (coaxial) connectors are used but pretty good success can be had by making a "coaxial splice". Each end - Remove some jacket, push back braid shield, trim center shorter, strip center insulation a bit, solder inner conductors with minimum bump/size, wrap with quality elec tape (or better - teflon tape) to diameter of center insulator, pull both shield braids together over center, solder together, overall tape.
Whew!
Woody

From previous comments it sounds like your system is not like most (if a single wire for antenna connection). Most use coaxial cable. A simple splice of the inner conductor and outer shield would work to some degree for a broadcast receiver coax, it is not ideal. Most often special (coaxial) connectors are used but pretty good success can be had by making a "coaxial splice". Each end - Remove some jacket, push back braid shield, trim center shorter, strip center insulation a bit, solder inner conductors with minimum bump/size, wrap with quality elec tape (or better - teflon tape) to diameter of center insulator, pull both shield braids together over center, solder together, overall tape.
Whew!
Woody

There is no braid shield. It's just a copper wire inside of plastic insulation. Same antenna, basically, as my clock radio on my night stand.

Kind of a moot point. At some point this winter I'm going to be installing a fairing and running a 6x9 speaker setup with a head unit, in which case I'll run coax down the length of the bike and a whip antenna mounted in the back.

__________________

"8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Hey woody. We are talking about two different setups here. This is actually an older thread. I CURRENTLY have a handlebar mounted speaker setup, which uses the aforementioned pigtail. This winter will hopefully include an upgrade to a fairing mounted 6x9 setup with a head unit, which will use coax running to a whip antenna mounted to my tour pak.

By the way it picks up great if someone holds the antenna (even with gloves!)! Was at a family thing a couple hours away and there was a ballgame on. Wife held on to the antenna in her hand while we rode so we could hear the game!

Funny how that stuff works...

Oh well. Not worried about it anymore. With this weather I'm not going to see too many more long trips, and this stereo will be down in the classifieds hopefully later this winter! (Or I may just stick it in a closet or something... it doesn't sound very good I don't know if I really am comfortable selling it to someone. It 'works' but I'd hate for someone to buy it and be disappointed!)

__________________

"8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."